There are some nights when I just don't feel like preparing a full family meal. Tonight was one of those nights so I decided we were going to do breakfast for dinner. A nice hearty bowl of oatmeal was just what we needed to fill us up on a lazy Friday family night. Even though it's still in the 90's here in Florida, it's starting to feel like Fall in other regions. Most people crave all that pumpkin spice everything, but Fall for me means I crave apple everything. I received a bottle of Apple Ginger juice from R.W. Knudsen as part of their blog ambassador program so I decided to use it when making my oatmeal. I have to say that it was a GREAT decision. The kids both asked for a second bowl. I used steel cut oats for the first time and they are a much sturdier oat than regular quick oats. You can cook them on the stove, slow cooker, or my favorite, in an Instant Pot. Cooking times will vary depending on which cooking method you choose. Ingredients: 1 cup steel cut ... [ Read More ]
What is an Instant Pot and Why do I Need One?
I've jumped on the Instant Pot (IP) bandwagon and so should you! Several months ago some friends were raving about this thing called an Instant Pot and I had never heard about it. I later learned that it's a modern day pressure cooker. The only time I've ever seen a pressure cooker in use is at my Grandma's, she always makes the best pot roast with potatoes and veggies. The meat would just melt in your mouth and the veggies were cooked to perfection. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, all opinions are my own and I truly love these products or I wouldn't share them with you. An Instant Pot is a pressure cooker is similar to a slow cooker (or crock pot), but cooks much quicker and under pressure. There were a few features that my friends explained to me that sold me on this thing instantly (pun intended). Here are just a few.... Frozen chicken breasts or things can cook in less than 30 minutes! It makes hard boiled eggs super easy and quick, less than 5 min. ... [ Read More ]
Back to School Lunch Inspiration
This post is sponsored by Stonyfield as part of their YoGetters Blog Ambassador program. Affiliate links present in this post. It's that time again, school started back this last week and my daughter wants to pack her lunch this year. Our lunchbox station is overflowing so I'm kind of glad these supplies will get some use again this year. Last year I think both of the kids bought lunch 90% of the time. Now, to find fast easy lunch ideas that are healthy(ish) that won't come back home (or get traded). Our friends over at Stonyfield, Justin's and PackIt sent us a few goodies to get started, the rest were found at our local WalMart and Publix stores. My daughter is pretty easy with the main course, she really likes ham and/or turkey sandwiches. The only tricky part is that her school is a nut-free school, so the Justin's will have to stay at home for our afternoon snack. Here are a few ideas to help kick start your school lunches and bring a little variety. Main Course: ... [ Read More ]
Stonyfield Bloggers on the Farm
If you follow me on social media, you may have seen some of my recent pictures from the Stonyfield Farm Tour (#StonyfieldFarmTour) in Vermont last week. The Stonyfield company selected 13 of their blog ambassadors to tour 3 farms in Vermont. This is the second year that they held their Farm Tour and I'm so thankful that they invited me (and paid my expenses....in case you were wondering), this is a trip that I won't soon forget. The Stonyfield blog ambassadors are made up of the Yo-Getters and the Clean Plate Club. Most of the bloggers have never met and live across the US. We all blog about different topics; some of us are lifestyle bloggers, some are food bloggers, some are eco-friendly bloggers, and I'm sure there are a few more niches that we belong to. We all share one thing, we love Stonyfield and their mission to bring healthy and organic food into our homes. This year's Farm Tour bloggers..... Welcome to the 2016 Stonyfield Blogger Farm Tour Team! Follow our ... [ Read More ]
15 Bean & Sausage Soup Instant Pot Recipe
Unless you we've been living offline lately, you may have heard of Instant Pots. At the very least, you saw a bunch of people posting on Facebook that they bought on on Prime Day (July 12th). I heard about them several months ago and was intrigued, when they finally went on sale on Prime Day I picked one up on Amazon. A week later my journey to cooking with a pressure cooker began and my crock pot may get a little dusty. Pressure cookers cook things quickly under pressure (hence the name) and are great for rice, beans, soups, chili, and so much more. They are similar to slow cookers, but fast! The one that I have is electric and is super safe and easy to use. They are a little intimidating if you've never cooked with them before and you may have to adjust your slow cooker recipes a little. I'm finally starting to get more comfortable with my Instant Pot and I'm so happy that I made this purchase. Looking to buy an Instant Pot? I love this 6 qt version on Amazon (affiliate ... [ Read More ]
10 Ways Housekeepers Clean Better Than You
Do you enjoy cleaning your home? I mean REALLY enjoy it?? I personally find that it's the very last thing that I do each week and usually only if we're expecting guests. As a mom who works full-time I find that my energy level after work is minimal. To be honest, since I work from the home, work never really ends some days. Pro Housekeepers of Tampa reached out to me a few weeks ago and offered to send a cleaning crew to my house, how could I possibly say no to that?? I've used housekeepers 2-3 times in the past 20 years and each time I wonder why I don't make the leap and sign up for regular cleanings. I'm always so relieved when they leave and my house is always WAY cleaner than I would ever get it. The kids and I will pick up throughout the week, but we usually save the deep cleaning for the weekends. ...and by "deep cleaning" I mean I may vacuum, mop, and clean the bathroom sink. The really deep cleaning is saved for before company visits. Want to try Pro Housekeepers of ... [ Read More ]
Your Child Can Be Defenders of Wildlife
You may remember a few months ago I shared my Cinnamon Crunch Snackimals snack bar recipe using Barbara's Bakery cereal as part of their Mom-Tourage Ambassador program. Another box of goodies arrived recently as part of this sponsored campaign and my kids have been snacking on their Snackimals cookies and cheese puffs this month. In addition to their snack filled box, they sent us a set of the Defenders of Wildlife collectible bracelets. Barbara's has partnered the a non-profit organization, Defenders of Wildlife, to help adopt 1,000 endangered animals, such as, wolf, sea turtles, elephants and polar bears. Your kids will be able to show off their love for their favorite animals by wearing their new bracelets. For every Family Four Pack of bracelets sold helps Barbara's reach their goal of adopting 1,000 endangered animal through the Defenders of Wildlife animal adoption program. You can get their bracelets at shop.barbaras.com for a limited time. Since there are four ... [ Read More ]
How this FIOS box almost drove me insane!
Let me set the stage for you.... Tuesday, early in the day: Noticed a random single beep every 20-ish minutes in the house. Kept working, no clue what's causing it. Continue working and try to ignore it. via GIPHY Hours have passed by now and it's time for dinner. Leave the house for dinner and hope it's stopped when I get home. via GIPHY Come home from dinner and check in at work. Realize after about an hour that it's still beeping. BEEP It's not a loud beep, it sounds like the kind of beep an iron makes when you leave it plugged in too long. via GIPHY Decide to do a live Facebook chat for work. Chat for 1 hour (and 7 minutes to be exact) and notice the beeping 2-3 times during my chat. Mention the beeping to others during chat. End chat and start making notes on what time the beepings happen so I can track it. via GIPHY 10:25pm BEEP 10:39pm BEEP - Air Conditioner came on at the same time. Start making notes. Set timer for ... [ Read More ]
7 Lessons I Learned in My First Year as a Daisy Girl Scout Leader
My daughter just finished her second year in Girl Scouts and has bridged up to Brownies for next year. While this was her second year in Daisy's, this was my first year as a Troop Leader. It's been a fun year learning how to be a Troop Leader and I've learned a few lessons along the way. Let the girls help lead! Girl Scouts are very into "Girl Lead" troops and activities. It's very easy for us as adults to take over and control every situation instead of letting the girls learn how to do things. Sure we have to "lead" the troop and push them in the right direction, but letting them make decisions is an important part of being a Troop Leader. As Daisy's this is a hard balance to find since the girls are 6-7 years old, but given the right directions they can do it! Kaper Charts are a good way to get the girls involved in the meetings. Be flexible! No matter how well you plan out your meetings, something will always get you off track! It's OK to be flexible and change your focus if ... [ Read More ]
Summer Cravings with prAna and Stonyfield
This post is sponsored by Stonyfield Yogurt and prAna. Enter to win a pair of prAna Kara Jeans at the bottom of this post! Yesterday was the last day of school for the kids and it's officially summer break! We celebrated the end of the school year with a pool party for my kids and their friends; and the adults sat around and reflected on how fast they are growing up. Today we have relaxed around the house and haven't done much. I've had to work all day so the kids have been really bored, but I did stop for an afternoon swim and to make some yummy treats with them. Since it's hot outside and it's summer I decided we'd make some frozen yogurt bites for when they are done with their afternoon swim. I almost always have Stonyfield yogurt in the refrigerator. Stonyfield Frozen Granola & Yogurt Bites #SummerCravings Supplies needed: Stonyfield Whole Milk Greek Yogurt - Vanilla Bean Fruit Juice (your choice of flavors) Granola Muffin tin or mini-muffin ... [ Read More ]
